Emerald ash borer found in Washington, Van Buren counties

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - State officials say an invasive insect that kills ash trees has been discovered in two more Iowa counties in southeast Iowa. That means the emerald ash borer is now in more than one-third of the state's counties.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture said Friday the insect is confirmed in Brighton in Washington County and Birmingham in Van Buren County. That brings to 34 the number of counties with confirmed ash borer populations. It was first detected in Iowa in 2010.

The insect has killed tens of millions of ash trees in the 27 states. It is a native insect of Asia and was first reported in the U.S. in Michigan in 2002.

Trees can be injected with a treatment that helps prevent ash borer infestation through the end of August.

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